Eminent Planning Professor and local resident Sir Peter Hall has told a public inquiry that current proposals to redevelop the Arcadia site would destroy the essence of Ealing.

Developer Glenkerrin - backed by the council - wants to build seven largely residential blocks of between seven and 26 storeys.

The scheme was revised to re-design the controversial "Leaf" building after the initial public consultation and the application was approved by Ealing's Planning Committee in December 2008.

In January 2009 the Secretary of State decided to "call in" the application for her own decision.

Sir Peter Hall, Bartlett Professor of Planning and Regeneration at the University of London, has lived in Ealing for 36 years.
He told the public inquiry that the present proposal should be rejected and completely redesigned.

He said:''There can be no doubt that right across these areas, the scale of the Glenkerrin development above all the height of the towers, would impinge almost everywhere as a kind of extreme visual shock, destroying at a stroke the scale and massing of the houses and the relation to the streets, and the Arcadian calm that is the entire area’s quintessential quality. To put it succinctly this development would destroy the essence of what Ealing is.’’

Sir Peter urged the Inspector to visit the site to assess the impact it would make if the current plans went ahead.

He said: ’‘I think you will conclude... that it is simply unthinkable that a development like this and all it implies should be brought here.’’

The inquiry, which is entering its final week, is being run by David Richards an Inspector at the Government’s Planning Inspectorate.

He will prepare a report for the Secretary of State who is expected to make a decision towards the end of the year.